title: Instrument deterioration with usage: nickel-titanium versus stainless steel.
abstract: Nickel-titanium instruments purportedly resist deformation and loss of sharpness better than do stainless steel instruments but may be more susceptible to breakage. The processes of wear and breakage of nickel-titanium and stainless steel instruments were examined. Sixty files of five types (12 each) and three manufacturers were used. All were used repeatedly in curved canals until failure or for a maximum of 22 minutes. Each instrument was examined with scanning electron microscopy both new (control) and at spaced intervals for evidence of wear and fatigue. All new instruments were of good quality. Stainless steel instrument tended to wear the most rapidly, and next were nickel-titanium rotary instruments; the most resistant to wear were nickel-titanium hand instruments. There were few instrument separations. In general, nickel-titanium (particularly hand) instruments resisted deterioration better than did stainless steel. Nickel-titanium rotary instruments (2 of 12) had the most breakage.
authors.affiliation: Ensino Odontologico Institute, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zuolo
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Walton
mesh_terms: D003722:Dental Alloys; D003762:Dental Instruments; D004868:Equipment Failure; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009532:Nickel; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D013193:Stainless Steel; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium